


Unroyal

by mabuchigyuu



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Freeform, Heartwarming, M/M, Mentioned Hueningkai, Minor Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, Minor Choi Soobin/Kang Taehyun, Not Beta Read, Parallel Universes, Prince Kang Taehyun, Taehyun's from the past, Unrequited Love, Yearner Choi Yeonjun, Yearning, basically projecting my txt harem agenda with a speck of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mabuchigyuu/pseuds/mabuchigyuu
Summary: "This place is rather charming. Really cozy, I must say.""It's only a mattress and a cupboard filled with snacks and cup noodles?"Prince Taehyun somehow time travels from the past to the modern time only to end up in a broke university student, Yeonjun's house.Or,Tired of his lonely life, Yeonjun decides to go to a water fountain which was rumored to fulfil their deepest desires if thrown a penny.  He thinks it would funny to try it only to find a stranger in his house when he woke up.
Relationships: Choi Yeonjun/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Unroyal

**Author's Note:**

> Hii! I am back with another fic which I hope you will enjoy! I never thought I would write a fic this long with an actual plot and an ending but here we are- 
> 
> playlist: [Unroyal](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wygSfX3qO8TahtlOCVuXo?si=VHNkH9Q4RhudgJ7w2r_kzw)

The soft music echoed throughout the café. The pink haired man quickly wiped down the last of the tables before his shift ended. 

Greeting his colleagues, he finally left the place. 

Deciding to just have his dinner at the nearby park instead of walking home since the café was busy that day, he just plopped down on one of the benches and let the cool breeze calm his senses down. 

All his worries vanished as he took the first bite of the burger, well, at least for that moment. But who would disagree? He was a broke university student who lived on cup noodles and soda. And if lucky, the leftovers from the café would be his dinner a few times in a week.

He wasn’t really miserable as it would seem, there wasn’t really much he wanted. Being able to taste different food once in a while was enough to energize his resolve. He was grateful for this kind manager. He considered himself lucky.

But there was a certain thing he wished — the warmth of feeling home. 

“Yeonjun—ah, you know I would love to come to you but your father needs me here.” his mother consoled him over the phone. He would mask his loneliness in front of her but he knew his dad worked too hard even in his age to keep his family going. His mom would help him through it most of the time. More of the reason why he didn’t like asking his parents money for his university expenses.

Maybe it was a little too much but one can dream, right?

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have much time to flirt around. Sometimes during the weekends, his best friend, Beomgyu would invite him over to his house for a few games or to some party. But those places were just filled with people looking for flings and that was not something he was interested in. He had enough responsibilities already and he didn’t want to add drunk driving or a random fight to the list. 

‘ _ You need to cool off sometimes, _ ’ the boy would say. And it was true — Yeonjun spent too much time trying to keep his grades up and work at the same time. He got into a prestigious university — but it didn’t really help him financially. The tuition was expensive and he needed to keep his scholarship until the end or at least till he landed in a stable job. 

Some would say he had Beomgyu by his side — they aren’t wrong but it wouldn’t feel that way. Beomgyu would be there when he needed him the most. They would fool around skipping classes sometimes but that was about it. The rush of thoughts in Yeonjun’s mind didn’t really let him enjoy himself to the fullest — he despised that about himself the most. 

He’d met the black haired boy only during their first year — he was so quiet on the first day of their class. And then boom! The following day, he never shut his mouth, but that was his charming point. He’d instantly make everyone happy just by his presence. He’d noticed how Yeonjun felt lonely — new to the city and away from his family. They became close over the two years yet there was a void in the elder’s heart that he couldn’t just fill. 

He looked around the park; it was a chilly night in the month of December — no one was around. And then his eyes landed on a small water fountain at the corner of the area. Quickly finishing the remaining burger and coke, curiosity dragged him towards it. 

The water glimmered under the moonlight, the reflection of the full moon was picture perfect. Even in dim lights, one could see the numerous scattered coins in the shallow water; some rusty and some new. 

He’d heard about the rumors from the customers that came to the café, especially the ones who came with their kids. It was said that if one wished for something they truly desired under the light of the full moon, it would come true.

_ It wouldn’t hurt to try, right? _

And so he did. He clasped the coin in his palm, prayed for a quick minute and threw it into the fountain with a flick of his fingers. 

_ When will I feel home? _

It was stupid and he knew it. It wasn’t worth wasting a penny on it anyways. Maybe a homeless man would come and steal the money from here — he hoped so — at least the money would be of some use. 

With a lonely heart, he walked back home. Somewhere in the air remained a lingering hope that maybe, he wouldn’t feel so lonely anymore.

Little did he know what future had in store for him.

***

The alarm blared through his ears. Groaning, he turned off the alarm and sat up straight, rubbing his eyes. 

_ 7:52am _

He scrolled through his phone for any texts or updates while checking through his to do list, just in case he was forgetting an assignment that was due.

The one assignment he’d been stalling for awhile now had been pushed to a further date next week.  _ Great, more time for me. _ . 

He washed up quickly and dressed up for the extra shift he’d taken this week. God knows what overcame him that evening when one of the employees called in sick — he doesn’t know why he volunteered. But he did it. 

He stepped out of his bathroom only to hear sounds of shuffling from the kitchen.

‘ _ Not the pesky rats again _ ’ he sighed. Throwing his towel on the mattress, he tiptoed outside only to find a tuft of blond hair peeking up behind the cabinets. 

Why was anyone in his apartment? Heck, he barely survived on his own — why would anyone try to steal something from his apartment from among all the other apartments in the entire city?

Alarmed, Yeonjun picked up the nearest weapon he could find and with hushed footsteps barged into the kitchen, hitting the intruder multiple times with it — his thick book from the library. 

Clutching his head, the intruder groaned in pain.

This time the pink haired man took a minute to actually look at the young man before him. Why was he dressed up so...formally? Did he just return from some street show or a fancy dress competition?

His breath hitched the moment the boy sat down, face crinkling in pain. His aura — it was so different, so strong yet fragile. 

Yeonjun would have regretted it later yet he let down his guard around the man only to be pounced upon by him the very next second. 

“Have you no knowledge of the consequences for attacking the prince?”

“The prince?” he pushed the so—called prince off of him. “What are you even doing in my house?”

At the mention of his house, the blonde man seemed to have stood still, taking in his surroundings.

“Answer the question please,” Yeonjun was losing his patience already annoyed because he was getting late for work and this intruder just dropped out of nowhere.

His big eyes wandered around the whole room in curiosity, as if a child had been brought in a toy store. Those brown orbs twinkled each time his eyes landed on a new object. 

“Umm, hello?” the taller boy waved his hands in front of the other, bringing him out of his daze. “I asked something.”

As if he was just pulled back to reality, his eyes focused back on Yeonjun. “It worked…”

Confusion was written all over the latter’s face. “What do you mean?”

A bright smile lit up the face of the blonde making his dimples appear. “It worked! It really worked.” Holding the taller man by his shoulders, he jumped in excitement. 

_ Great _ . Now he was even more confused, if only this boy would calm down for once and just tell him what the damn thing was—

“Tell me! Did you wish for anything under the gushing water on a full moon night?”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

His big bright eyes — he couldn’t not look at them. Heck he didn’t even know who he was yet he felt drawn towards this boy. Was he  _ that  _ desperate?

_ ‘Yeonjun, you need to get your act together. He’s literally a stranger who barged into your house!’ _

But he still found himself quietly nodding to the boy’s endless stream of questions for the next few minutes. 

“I have no idea how it happened but it really is true. I am stunned.” They were now seated on the worn out couch, each holding a cup of hot coffee. 

“You mean to tell me you’re from the past? And you traveled — no —  _ time  _ traveled your way here just so you weren’t forced to marry some other guy?” 

“I demand some time to myself and think about opinions of my own. The King and Queen won’t appreciate their son revolting against their word.” He held the mug close to his face, sniffing the contents in it. “This smells weird. Perhaps it is something bitter?”

All the while he narrated his tale, Yeonjun’s mind went dizzy with each word that slipped out of those lips. He’d called his manager earlier to excuse him for the day with a promise to work overtime later to cover it. Thankfully, he didn’t ask any questions about it.

This wasn’t some drama he was in then  _ why _ ? Why the heck was there a damn prince from a whole another timeline sitting in his apartment on his couch with a cup of coffee discussing his distress over love?

He gulped down his coffee in a hurry, maybe this was all just a dream. He needed a call over Beomgyu sometime or else he might just go insane. He pinched himself hard to check just in case, 

_ Ouch _ .  _ Oh, sweet jesus. _

This was real. This whole damn thing was real. He was actually drinking a damn cup of  _ coffee  _ with the boy. 

And that same boy was now giving him a stare, his hands extended the mug towards him. “Go, on, take it away. I don’t like it. Too bitter.”

“You don’t like it? It’s the only thing keeping me sane.” setting his own mug aside, he took the mug and added milk and sugar to the blonde haired boy’s.

“There, it should be better now.” 

He seemed hesitant, yet he accepted. He sipped a little bit of the coffee like a kitten would and his face instantly brightened at the sweetness. “This tastes really nice. How did you do that? Perhaps you performed some magic?” 

An aura of happiness surrounds the little prince as he happily sipped on his coffee. 

Yeonjun’s mind dwelled back to the story he was narrated to as the boy was busy relishing the newfound sweetness in drink. 

According to Taehyun (as he identified himself) he needed someone to wish for someone’s presence in some way or the other— and that was exactly what Yeonjun had wished for— to keep him away from the loneliness he felt.

There were several wishes that he had heard — many little, innocent but genuine wishes from kids but the pink haired boy's wish was among the rare ones from an adult with equal sincerity as that of a child which happened to work for Taehyun.

His family had arranged a marriage with a prince of a relatively smaller region in hopes of expanding their kingdom. He wasn’t given a say in this because apparently, he was inexperienced and was to trust his parents in making the right decision for him. 

The worst part was that they were right — Taehyun really didn’t have any experience. All his life he had remained sheltered from all the crudeness of the world. But how would suddenly pushing him towards an arranged marriage fix anything?

A battle? Hide the prince. An attack in the kingdom? Escape from the borders to a safe place. Commoners visiting to meet the king? Keep the prince locked in his room. 

All his life, he had been trained to battle from instructors but was never given the chance to step outside past the four walls of the palace. It was always in a safe environment where he wouldn't be harmed. Every soldier he had a duel with would go easy on him so as to not be inflicted with a penalty for landing a scratch on the prince.

He didn't want that. He wanted to go out, experience the world, go hunting like his father did but he'd be denied. 

He'd spend most of his time in the royal gardens looking after a few plants he'd begun growing out of boredom. The honeysuckle around the pond was his personal favorite. It looked like a scene out of a fairy tale during the moonlit nights. But even his leisure time would be belittled to an act of foolishness. It was not an activity a prince should be doing. 

However, he did as he pleased; no amount of words from his maids or his parents would stop him. 

Ever since then, Taehyun would throw a coin of gold in the pond hoping that someone would call for him every full moon. He grew anxious as the days melted into the darkness and passed by. He had only a single full moon left until he would have been wedded to. Fortunately, this man had called upon him right when there was only a month remaining. 

“Could you believe this, they already had wall—sized banners embroidered with our names big,” he stretched his arms wide in an attempt to show how big the banners were, “even the subjects living in the valleys would be able to see the huge ‘Choi Soobin and Kang Taehyun’.”

Yeonjun wondered if the boy was naturally this talkative or was it his frustration over the topic making him speak because it didn’t seem like he was meeting him for the first time. Heck, he didn’t even seem  _ fazed  _ at the extreme contrast between his lifestyle in a whole nother timeline and Yeonjun’s. Nevertheless, he tried to mirror his enthusiasm because Yeonjun was a good host. 

“Did you ever talk to the other prince?”

“That prince can take my heart. He’s just so perfect — he’s tall, his smile is worth all the wealth in the world —” his words were cut off by the other male, who seemed very much engrossed in his tale.

“Hold up, if he’s so perfect, then what’s wrong?” 

The older boy took their now empty cups and placed them on the sink and the shorter boy followed him, never skipping a beat during their conversation.

“What’s wrong is that he’s  _ too  _ perfect. That gentleman hasn’t a flaw in him. Sometimes his actions seem contradictory but when you are told from him, there’s  _ always  _ a good reason behind it. His intention never falters from the good.”

His mind finally accepting the fact that the boy before him was in fact real, he nodded. He rested his back against the counter facing the prince. “Isn’t there a month remaining before your wedding?”

The said boy sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. ‘Yes, it is, but—” of course there had to be a ‘but’. “ I don’t know how to get me more time. I’d rather prefer living here rather than tumble around in my own misery alone in the palace or with the same maids who certainly don’t wish to have a word or two with me.“

From the tone of his voice, the taller one sensed he was trying to hide something; he didn’t question further. 

Taehyun’s eyes scanned the place once again, wide and twinkling with curiosity. The older started feeling a sense of insecurity hit him. It wasn’t that he hated his own apartment; it was the fact that the boy standing there was a prince — A prince! 

With a meek voice he mumbled, “Where will you be staying?”

“Here, of course.” he didn’t hesitate even for a second. 

The pink haired boy’s heart dropped in nervousness. 

Here?  _ Here _ ? In this tiny apartment with the bare minimum supplies for the survival of a broke uni student?

Did Yeonjun have enough in his wallet to pay for the two? How would he manage his schedule with the boy around? How would the prince live from his grand palace to this god forsaken apartment?

His mind was thinking through a hundred scenarios per second until the blonde boy’s voice cut it off.

“This place is rather charming. Really cozy, I must say."

All his thoughts came to a halt. "It's only a mattress and a cupboard filled with snacks and cup noodles?"

Walking back into his small bedroom, Taehyun made himself comfortable on the low lying mattress. “It is the lack of objects in this place that makes it a friendly abode. I admire it.”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

“Yes, sir. I can manage,”

“Aren’t you already doing too much work?”

Yeonjun stuttered for a moment at the reality being smacked right on his face. He had been trying, hoping that a few offers for an internship at the dance academy would welcome him. It was all in the form of animated pictures in front of him hanging on by a loose thread. 

_ Rent, bills, food, tuition, necessities  _ —

and now to add to that list,  _ Taehyun _ .

Shaking his head, “I’m fine—”

“It’s okay, Choi. I’ll pay you extra for your diligence and hard work.” The manager cut him off, speaking in a fatherly tone. 

Needless to say the said boy was taken aback at the sweet gesture of his manager, a small smile making its way to his lips. “Thank you so much, sir.”

A little sigh escaped his lips, “Boy, you really amaze me sometimes.” 

Yeonjun thanked him once again and went inside his room to find the young prince still asleep. 

It had been two days since the intrusion and time since then felt unreal. That boy was curious about the tiniest little thing and the older boy would explain it to him, like a parent would explain to their child. Somewhere hidden in his eyes was this glint of innocence, dreams— big dreams. 

His eyes would never lose focus when being explained to. Like this one time he explained to him the concept of a cell phone. His gaze would move with the movement of Yeonjun’s finger as it glided across the sensitive screen. His big curious eyes would look at each new thing as if it was the most precious jewel in the world. 

But it was his own eyes that glimmered like jewels. Not even a mirror could bring justice to the beauty that was Kang Taehyun. 

His expression looked so peaceful while he remained in his sweet slumber. Unlike how he read in books about the uptight, unforgiving royalty— Taehyun was certainly not one among them. 

Though he was a little bummed out when he realized Yeonjun didn’t keep any plants at home. The boy immediately rushed out the door looking for a small plant to take care of. The pink haired boy caught up with him, “There’s only weeds here— let’s go in the morning.”

Hesitant in his footsteps, he agreed and Yeonjun let out a sigh of relief at finally returning back to his sweet home. 

He made sure to pick out some of his older clothes which were too small for him and lend it to the blonde boy until his stay here— _ You need to blend in _ , he said. 

Clad in the hoodie which was a bit oversized for his small frame, he looked into the mirror. It felt comfortable. Breathier and soft. “I don’t feel like I’m wearing a thing.“

“Welcome to the fashion of my time.” He’d smiled. 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

It was almost afternoon. The duo had stayed up all night playing video games. Taehyun had thoroughly enjoyed the time. “I won a battle just by mere clicks of a button? I feel a bit bad—” 

Yeonjun had laughed at that statement and continued to teach him how it was done. After what seemed like a minute— it was almost sunrise. Taehyun almost passed out on the couch but made it to the mattress before it reached a point where the pink haired boy had to carry him. The other boy was glad— okay  _ maybe,  _ he was still a little intimidated by his royal status though he was younger than him by age. 

Well, technically he was from the past and way older but Yeonjun has lived more years than Taehyun making him older. 

Being a good host — or at least in an attempt to be one, he went to prepare sandwiches and pancakes for a meal, not sure if it would be breakfast or lunch— as long as they got food in their bellies, it was okay. 

The sweet aroma of the pancakes spread throughout the apartment and reached Taehyun’s nostrils, stirring him awake from his dreamland. 

Following the smell with pressed footsteps, he was now standing in the kitchen with Yeonjun’s back facing him who was washing the dishes to set the table. 

“It smells g—” 

A shriek echoed in the apartment probably scaring away the birds perched up on the tree nearby. Yeonjun was now face to face with a wide eyed Taehyun shaken by the other’s sudden scream.

He ran his hands through his hair and let out a breath of relief, “You could’ve made some sound, you know?” he turned back to do the rest of the dishes and began setting up the table. Taehyun just followed him like a tail as he walked back and forth from the kitchen to the small coffee table. 

Yeonjun side eyed the boy as he kept tracing his footsteps like a cat with his big eyes and a small smile etched on his face.  _ So cute _ . 

“You can have a seat, Your Highness.” he gestured as he finally placed the plate of sandwiches on the table.

He recoiled a little yet obliged and sat across from the other, digging into the food. “It tastes really good, hyung!” he smiled and took another bite of the pancake. 

Yeonjun’s heart fluttered at the wholesomeness of it all. He couldn’t help but giggle at him before eating his own stack of pancakes. 

“Your Highness, do you wish to go around the city today?” he asked before taking a big bite and sipping some water. 

Taehyun gulped down before answering. “Stop addressing me in that manner and yes, I really hope to see this world of yours.”

“Why not? I thought everyone in the palace addressed you that way,” he was almost finished with his food, now purposely eating slow so he could match the pace with the other. 

The latter set his fork aside for a second to answer him with full attention. “They do— and it irks me. I feel free here even though it’s only been a couple of days. If you keep it up, I might as well start calling you a commoner—” 

Yeonjun raised his hands in defeat, “Alright, alright, I will not.” finishing up the remnants of his plate, he got up and put the dishes into the sink. “I’ll call you ‘Prince’. Is that fine?”

“Does it really make a difference?”

“Hey, ‘Prince’ can also be someone’s nickname,”

The said boy let out a small sigh knowing he wouldn’t give up so easily before straightening his back again, “I figure that’s acceptable.”

“Okay, Prince. Let’s get ready, shall we?” The pink haired boy giggled at his flustered face. His urge to boop his nose was driving him insane, but he held it in.  _ For now _ . 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

“Carriages like these are incredibly fancy!” Taehyun exclaimed on their way to the mall— Yeonjun’s second home. 

The cars passed by as they approached the busier side of the city. The cool air of the aircon hit their face as they entered the complex saving them from the harsh sunlight— Yeonjun walked into the nearest clothing store; his favorite. 

Though he wished he could afford most of the things available there, he had to wait for his savings to pile up. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t go into the trail rooms to check out the different styles he wanted to see himself in or haul away during offers or using his coupons. 

Fashion is important and Yeonjun abides by the law.

As he browsed through the different aisles and rows of shirts, pants and other accessories, Taehyun remained dazzled at the different types of clothes and designs. Yeonjun pulled him by the arm to follow him after pushing his chin up to close his mouth he didn’t realize he kept open. 

“Goodness, how are you so cute?” his eyes formed little creasants with a smile and went back to trying out different articles of clothing on the young prince to see if it’d fit him. 

“This reminds me of the royal dressing room— colors of all different kinds. Wait—” he poked a denim jacket in curiosity. “This looks so unique.” he said in awe. 

“You like it?” Yeonjun picked it out and placed it over his shoulder not waiting for an answer from Taehyun and disappeared for a minute leaving him confused. 

Soon, he arrived with a pair of denim pants and a white shirt and handed it to Taehyun along with the jacket he’d picked. “Go try these on.” he pushed him towards the fitting room. “I’ll wait outside here.”

Taehyun gave him a small nod before closing the door behind him, still a little rattled from Yeonjun’s sudden enthusiastic side jumping out. He stared at the strange material he was handed but soon changed into them. 

“Woah,” he exclaimed, his mouth agape at the sight of himself in the mirror. It wasn’t his usual formal attire that the maids would dress him up in everyday. It was his own choice of clothing— probably the first time in ages. He hadn’t expected to look this way— a little too different. But a good kind of different. 

He liked how he looked; pushing away all thoughts of home. He wanted to live— he was living right now. The change of scenery from the strict etiquettes of the palace. Here, he was carefree. 

Looking at the mirror, he saw little crinkles around his eyes— a result of smiling often. Joy bubbled up in his chest at the sight where he didn’t have to worry about his daily combat and calligraphy lessons— or about the wedding that was to take place in the next full moon.

Shaking his head and pushing the thoughts to the very back of his mind, he focused on the present. The fabric felt oddly stiff yet comfortable. It felt nice. He liked how his blonde hair complimented the blue of the denim he wore. Seeing himself clad in those new clothes, he could imagine why the other seemed so excited about shopping. 

He opened the door and stepped out to reveal his new look to the pink haired boy who leaned against the wall with a few more outfits resting on his arms. “Yeonjun-hyung,” that term still felt a little odd on his tongue but he continued nevertheless. “I am ready.”

The said boy straightened up and turned back to look at the younger. His jaw almost dropped to the floor at the sight of him. He was  _ so  _ pretty. The way his big eyes shone bright even under the dim lights of the store as they awaited his remark on his new look. But Yeonjun, his words got caught up in his throat unable to speak a word. 

At the lack of reply from the taller boy, Taehyun recoiled ever so slightly. 

Probably he wasn’t as good looking as he thought. It was new for him— to hear a negative remark against himself, the prince. But then again, he hadn’t been exposed to the cruel world and should have seen this coming. His thoughts went back to that one time he rehearsed a situation in his head where he was just a commoner until a maid knocked on the door to break him off from the fantasies for his daily lessons.

He couldn’t help but feel disappointment settle in his chest, not realizing that the older male was actually too stunned to move because of his beauty. 

Just when the boy was about to retreat back to the fitting room, Yeonjun finally spoke up. “Y—you look… amazing.” 

The tips of his ears began to turn red at the compliment right when he thought Yeonjun didn’t like the way he looked. 

He decided not to show his earlier resentment and wore a pleasant smile on his face. “Why, thank you so much for the compliment.” 

Yeonjun just smiled back in response. “Go try these on too!” He shoved the pile of clothes he had picked out into the younger’s hands and pushed him back into the fitting room. 

_ 'He looks happy trying these on,'  _ Yeonjun thought and held in the chuckle when he noticed that the prince felt a little funny wearing the foreign material.

“You want it?” he asked the boy as he looked at a particular article of clothing with growing interest. The moment he said those words, his big eyes averted towards him, shining. 

The pink haired male would have turned into a puddle right then and there. 

“Alright, alright— we’ll get it.” 

Soon enough, they headed out with some new outfits for the younger boy— who looked really happy to receive them. Though Yeonjun’s wallet said otherwise— that was a worry for another time. 

Perhaps, the finger heart was his favorite new thing. 

“Yeonjunnie-hyung?” They both were walking down the street towards the small stream. 

“Hm?”

“Do you think there will be dandelions where we’re going?”

Yeonjun looked at him for a moment then looked up, crossing his arms behind his head, still walking. "I think there will. Why do you ask?" 

The prince looked at his feet, playing with the hem of his new jacket. "I was just hoping we could bring it home. We had plenty there back in the royal gardens though my mother would try to get rid of them. I managed to sneak one in to my room," 

"Oh," his mouth formed a circle nodding in acknowledgement. "It seems like you love them a lot. Do they have a special meaning for it to be so precious?"

A small smile creeped up his face at the mention of it, "As a matter of fact, I do." He left the latter part of the question hanging.

They finally arrived at a bridge underneath which the stream flowed with a music of its own amidst the buzzing noise of the city, sparkling under the dimming rays of the sun. 

Yeonjun waited for the prince to begin his small hunt and followed suit right after. Looking for plants among the weeds was something he wasn't used to, but he tried by copying the actions of the other boy.

After what seemed like fifteen minutes Taehyun called, "Hyung, see this!" 

The said boy turned in the direction of his voice who was now holding a puffy, round bud from its roots in his grasp and made his way towards him. 

"See!" He showed off his plant excitedly to the older boy who was examining it scarcely for bugs. Upon their absence, he took the small bud in his hands, "It looks cute." 

"It will bloom into a pretty flower in a few weeks." 

Yeonjun hummed in reply as he admired the view in front of him. Whether it was the dandelion in Taehyun's hand or the fact that Taehyun was holding a dandelion that caught his attention, he didn't know. 

Under the orange rays of the sun, Taehyun glowed golden like an angel. His breathing hitched at the sight of the faint shadow of his long lashes were cast in his cheek, somehow making him look even more ethereal than he already was. There was nothing not admirable about the prince and Yeonjun— he wanted more. He wanted to know the boy through and through: what he liked, what he disliked, what kind of animals he preferred, did he enjoy spicy food, was he the type to hug something while sleeping, why did he like a simple weed like dandelion amongst the large variety of deliciously scented flowers. 

All these little trivial details— he wanted to know.

The boy gently placed the bud in the small bag they'd gotten for this purpose and finally set out on their way back home. 

"Don't you think dandelions are among the strongest flowers there is?" He sighed, his cheeks were a little flushed from the bursting happiness upon finding the weed.

Yeonjun looked at him in confusion before raising his hands, "Oh, don't expect me to say anything. I don't know anything about flowers." 

He let out a small chuckle, "These little plants fight against the strong wind with a single stem grounding them to the earth. It has its own glorious days of yellow and love." He skipped a step as he talked and turned to look at Yeonjun. "But they also sacrifice their beauty for the world, spreading their legacy of beauty without limit. As far as the wind allows them to venture out— they fly." 

The older male was surprised at the analogy of the younger. The way he narrated his thoughts, knowing exactly how he felt his emotion painting a pretty picture as the words flowed out from his mouth. It left him spellbound. 

"Dandelions— they don't hesitate to share the joy they get. I think that's one of the most beautiful things about it, so selfless." Suddenly his voice became lower, almost a whisper but not quite,"—also the ones to be easily misunderstood as those pesky weeds. They aren't, but people fail to see it." 

The blonde boy returned back to walking in his earlier pace, humming a tune that Yeonjun was sure he had heard somewhere before but couldn't recognize. 

"Is that how you feel about yourself?" Yeonjun finally spoke up matching pace with the prince. "The reason why you wished to flee the palace—" 

"Not flee, no." He raised a hand up, "I only wished to fulfil my dream of tasting freedom, some time for myself to think through the decisions that have been laid down for me." He knew he was hinting about the wedding but decided not to question it. 

He simply nodded. 

They had almost reached the apartment when the younger boy suddenly spoke up— 

"You're pretty— pretty like a dandelion in full bloom." He rushed into the apartment leaving behind a flustered Yeonjun, whose cheeks now matched the color of his hair, probably even darker.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The puffy bud now sat in its pot, soaking in the sunlight— the bright yellow peeking out as the rays poured into the room through the single window. 

Yeonjun laid on the couch— more like hanging off of it still deep in sleep. That was until his alarm blared off. He almost fell on the floor headfirst, thankful his pillow cushioned his fall. 

“Oh, you are awakened?” 

Yeonjun followed the source of the voice from his place on the cold floor, looking at an upside down Taehyun staring at him with an expression he couldn’t decipher then moved back up to the kitchen counter carefully placing tomatoes on the slice of bread.

The boy finally sat up straight and rubbed the sleep off his eyes, looked at the prince properly this time. He realized he was still wearing his hoodie, this one too, a little too big for him so the sleeves kept slipping past his wrist as he made his sandwich. 

The older male bit his lip to hold back the laughter endeared by the boy. He got off the floor, leaving the blanket there carelessly to get a better view of the blonde, who was visibly struggling because of the sleeves. 

He crossed his hands over his chest, watching him in amusement. He had a tongue stuck out in concentration as he took the lettuce and placed it on the already stacked slice of bread— only for it to fall off because of his sleeves.

“Goodness gracious!” he said in frustration. 

A loud chuckle passed past Yeonjun’s lips, not being able to hold it in anymore. The whole scene was just too—  _ too  _ cute. He finally uncrossed his arms and came closer to the frustrated boy, held one of his hands in his holding it high then proceeded to roll his sleeves. “Why didn’t you just wear one of the clothes we bought the other day?”

“I— umh,” the boy looked a little flustered. “I liked the feel of your clothes… a little more. I’ll change soon, I promise.” 

His body froze for a moment as his mind registered what he’d said. In that moment, Yeonjun felt an unfamiliar warmth spread inside his chest as his heart raced a beat faster. 

‘ _ Choi Yeonjun, stop, _ ’ he steadied himself and warned his loud heart, continuing his action from before. “It’s okay. You can wear them if you feel comfortable in it.”

Or was it the fact that Yeonjun  _ liked  _ seeing him in it. Taehyun nodded. 

“There,” Letting out another giggle, he was finally done with both sleeves. He suppressed his urge to ruffle the other’s messy bed hair; he had probably been used to the maids doing it for him. His eyes moved back to the sandwich under construction before he lost focus once again, “Why didn’t you just wake me up if you wanted to eat?”

“I’ve been up for a while now. The royal palace requires everyone to wake up as the sun rises.” he spoke up as he prepared his food more comfortably than a minute ago. Yeonjun joined him by taking another slice of bread and placing the vegetables on it. When he didn’t say anything, Taehyun continued, “I saw you make these the other day. I wished to try it out once too.” 

“Ah, I see,” he nodded quietly, almost done with his own sandwich and placed it on the other’s plate. “Go eat. I’ll wash up and be right back.”

He gave him a warm smile before quickly walking into the bathroom and locking it. 

He leaned against the cold wall, letting out a sigh— reality once again crashing down on him. The cool tiles bring him back to reality away from the thoughts of the prince who was now starting to cloud his thoughts. 

What was he doing? Why was he thinking this way? Taehyun was simply tagging along with him everywhere he went. All he did was ask questions with his big doe eyes. They sparkled with curiosity at every new thing he found. 

He needed someone to save him. What was he feeling?

He couldn’t forget the way his face brightened when the younger found the bud by the stream. His gaze focused on every ‘strange carriages’ that passed by in wonder—

Yeonjun smacked himself off his train of thoughts—no, Taehyun— quickly getting into the shower and turned the knob, letting the cold water wash away his newly birthed feelings. 

His mind having an internal advice session of its own—

‘ _ Yeonjun, he isn’t from your timeline _ .’

He raised his index finger. 

‘ _ He is a prince. A wealthy prince _ .’ 

Raising up two fingers, he tried to tell himself off. 

A third finger. ‘ _ He lives in a whole different world. _ ’ 

‘ _ And _ —’ this time his hands formed a fist and bonked his head. ‘ _ He is engaged for god’s sake _ .’ 

Before Yeonjun could realize, his white t-shirt was already drenched, completely forgotten in his rush of thoughts. 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

He stepped out of the shower, squeezing off the excess water from his shirt and put it on the drying rack, plopping onto the mattress. He let out a breath the moment his back hit the soft surface and scrolled through his phone. 

It buzzed with a notification. It was Beomgyu. 

Beomgyu:

_ yah _

_ hyung _

_ where are you? _

Yeonjun: 

_ under your bed? _

Beomgyu:

_... _

_ better clean the cobwebs before you come out.  _

Yeonjun: 

🙄

_ shut up. I'm at home? Where else would I be?  _

Beomgyu: 

_ i looked for you at the cafe the other day.  _

_ didn’t find you _

Yeonjun: 

_ wait for real? _

_ aww does beom miss his hyung? _

Beomgyu:

_ you know I'm starting to regret texting you at all  _

Yeonjun: 

_ fine fine  _

_ i called in sick _

Beomgyu:

_ why didn’t you text me about it earlier? _

Yeonjun:

_ sorry  _

_ i forgot _

Beomgyu:

_ alright, I'm coming to your apartment _

_ crashing in there for tonight _

Yeonjun: 

_ NO WAIT _

_ uhm _

_ it's still a weekday _

Beomgyu:

_ hyung, are you okay? _

_ both you and me don’t have classes on tuesdays… _

_ why did you panic anyway? _

_ don’t tell me _

_ did you kidnap prof— _

Yeonjun:

_ i _ —

_ stop right there you coconut _

Beomgyu:

_ hey _

_ who are you calling a coconut— _

Yeonjun sighed at the boy; he could clearly imagine how his face would be puffed up with annoyance. 

Yeonjun:

_ just come over tonight. _

Beomgyu: 

_ movie? _

Yeonjun:

_ bring snacks _

Beomgyu: 

_ i should have known there was a motive _

_ ok _

Yeonjun: 

😊

Yeonjun got dressed and ready for his classes, mentally planning out the whole speech he would have to give to the other boy later.

The prince handed him a plate of sandwiches along with a small smile on his face. 

He smiled back in return and bit into the sandwich quickly. However moments later, a sudden burn on his tongue got him downing the glass of water in one go. He was panting, not expecting it to be spicy. 

“What did you put in there?” he asked, finally relaxing. 

Taehyun’s eyebrows furrowed in worry at the unexpected reaction. “I— just the red sauce…” he pointed towards the bottle on the counter top. 

_ Red chili sauce. _

The pink haired man rubbed his temples and nodded. 

“I apologize.” the blonde boy hung his head low. 

Shaking his head in panic, Yeonjun shot up and lifted his chin up, “No, no! Don’t apologize, I didn’t know you preferred spicy food,”

“Still—”

“Look here, prince.” and he did, albeit a little red— either from the name or embarrassment. The older boy gave him a bright smile as he pointed towards his empty plate, “See? I finished it. I didn’t expect the spice, that's why I reacted the way I did. Don’t fret over it.”

He took away the empty plates to the sink and picked up his bag which had been lying carelessly behind his couch. “The real question is—”

He looked at his watch and then back at the younger boy. “Will you be okay being alone? I already took days off, i don’t think I’ll be able to afford more…” he trailed off. 

He remained silent for a moment which made the elder a little nervous but before he could open his mouth, he said, “May I duel with those men inside the box?” 

Confusion spread across his face as he tried to understand what he meant until Taehyun gazed at the gaming console at the side. 

_ Oh goodness.  _ One day, Yeonjun was gonna lose his mind over the cute innocence of the younger. “Of course, you can,”

He quickly turned it on and set up the whole game and handed it to Taehyun. “It is all yours now. Bye!”

Taehyun waved his hand in response. “Do not let anyone inside, okay? Keep the door locked and do not open it unless it's me.“ He nodded and closed the door behind him. 

But instead of walking down the stairs, he rested his back against the door, sliding down and ran his hands through his hair. ‘ _ What am I gonna do? _ ’ 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

“So what you’re saying is that there’s a whole stranger living with you—”

“He’s not a stranger. It’s a prince— Kang Taehyun.”

“Hyung, you don’t even  _ know  _ him.” Beomgyu pointed his fork at him before digging in back to his apple. “And for free?!”

“Beomgyu—” the older breathed, “he is from another time. He literally time traveled his way here.”

Suddenly a crumpled paper flew across the room on their table. The smaller boy sighed before picking it up and placing it on his tray without checking what was written on it. 

They tried to keep their voices low just in case anyone eavesdropped in their conversation in the cafeteria. Everyone knew how popular Beomgyu was and the girls would try to stalk him to gain ways to woo him. Too bad he was a proud gay.

“If that’s the case did you even try researching about this whole prince you’re talking about?” the black haired boy rose from his seat and emptied his tray into the trashcan before returning it back to the cafeteria lady and Yeonjun followed suit after swallowing down the remnants of his lunch.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh?”

“The library, let’s go there.”

The younger would’ve sworn this was a joke if he didn’t see the serious look in Yeonjun’s eyes. “Hyung, are you seriously going to skip class?” 

The said boy rolled his eyes and pulled the other by his arm making his way to the library. “Who said it’s skipping class if we are still reading books.”

A smirk appeared on Beomgyu’s face and with a playful voice he asked, “Am I finally rubbing off on you, Jjunie-hyung?” 

He chose to ignore this remark and went into the history section, “Besides, we’re gonna read interesting books and not those sleeping spells.”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Hours passed and school was almost over. However the two boys were still seated in the library with stacks of books beside them. A loud sigh was heard followed by a stern look of the librarian. Yeonjun straightened his back and bowed down in apology. 

“God, we’re never finding him. Where the heck did he come from, Beomgyu?” he whisper-shouted at the boy who almost dozed off on the table, jerking him awake. 

He didn’t bother getting up from his position, too comfortable and the temperature was just perfect for a good nap. He mumbled, “I dunno, hyung. You should be knowing about your guest.”

Mentally face-palming himself he got up from his seat, returning all the books they had checked. 

Not a single mention of Kang Taehyun or Choi Soobin found in them. It frustrated him. He nudged the other boy awake again, “Wake up, idiot! At least help me place them properly again. It’s almost time for my shift.”

“Fine, fine” he said groggily and stood up rubbing his eyes. Yeonjun placed a pile of books in his hand, “Go.” Beomgyu stuck out his tongue in annoyance but helped him nevertheless. 

The thing is, he didn’t really care about where he kept them. He found gaps on the shelves and stacked the books carelessly in them until a certain book caught his eye. 

_ ‘Wishing upon a Moon’ _

An old theory book?

Confusion overtook him— this wouldn’t be it, right?

He brought the book with him after returning all the books back. “Yeonjun, see this—”

“You brat, it’s hyung to you—” he was just about to smack the younger’s head but the latter pushed the book towards him. “The last one. I have a feeling this will help us.”

The annoyance from earlier completely forgotten, the duo were now sitting at a table closest to the window at the older’s workplace with coffee. “So, an old dumb theory no one believed in… it’s for kids.”

“Hyung, you were desperate enough to believe in something a child would believe in. Where do we go from there,”

“Okay, shush.” he forcefully pushed the straw in his mouth to shut him up from saying it out loud. “I know. Let’s continue.”

Beomgyu giggled in response as he opened the midnight blue book. 

Most of the contents seemed insignificant as his eyes skimmed the pages until his gaze fell upon a certain phrase:

“ _ Contrary to superstition that wishing upon a star makes your wishes come true, certain events suggest that wishing upon the moon is much more effective. When two individuals wish upon the moon when its phase is similar on both ends of the world, a link is formed that ties the two lives together _ .”

Beomgyu’s eyes shot up at Yeonjun who seemed as equally shocked as him. The coffee sat unfinished and forgotten— their focus was all on the dusty old book no one would have cared about and eyebrows were closed together in a frown as they read further. 

“ _ The link bridges the two and allows them an opportunity to fulfil the wishes of the other given that their hearts share the same longing for their desires. Once the bridge is formed, the desires of the heart will be fulfilled as fate has decided for them. In context to the moon phase assigned to each person upon birth, the individual with same birth moon phase as they wished upon shall have the power to physically travel between the rifts of time and space... _ ”

Yeonjun’s heart began racing as they kept reading. It didn’t feel real at all. This dirty old book held so much treasure that the others had overlooked. 

He tried and googled the name of the man behind these words but his identity was nowhere to be found. Perhaps the people of that time completely disregarded this theory as childish and immature— just like how Yeonjun had felt when he’d express his loneliness. 

The train of thoughts took a turn towards Taehyun. He recollected the memories of when the blonde prince told that he’d wish upon the full moon each month just so he could experience freedom— experience life. 

His curious gaze and a mind full of questions always wandered around finally relishing their moments outside the four walls of the palace. Yeonjun wanted to answer them- fill his heart with all the answers he desired and all the feelings he wished to experience. 

He wanted to see the glow on his face when he figured out something different from his own world and his.

If his smiles were little blossoms, he wanted to see them bloom in full glory. 

Beomgyu interrupted his chain of thoughts. “Hyung, read this,” he pointed to another page:

“ _ However, there is a time limit as the bridge will be severed upon the next occurrence of said moon phase _ ...”

His heart dropped. 

Even before the buds of Yeonjun's happiness could grow bigger let alone bloom, they were at the verge of wilting.

The younger boy sensed the sudden shift in mood and immediately moved his chair closer, their knees touching. "Hyung, this is just a dumb theory made by someone insignificant. Don't worry too much about this, hmm?" 

He cupped the older's cheeks, squishing them and pressed his thumb across the latter's frown. "It's gonna be all fine."

As if a part of his tenseness was shared by that touch, Yeonjun felt a little lighter, giving him a small smile in response.

Beomgyu finally let go after a few moments returning back to his position. "Now, let's meet this guy who has you so whipped."

"Oh no, you don't." he playfully smacked the book on the younger’s head who got ready to leave. Beomgyu gave him a pout in response, massaging the area where he was hit. “I still have a shift to finish.”

“What do I have to do with your shift?”

The older sighed, “Let’s just meet at seven. I don’t want Taehyun to freak out when he sees you,”

It was Beomgyu’s turn to smack Yeonjun on the head before he exited the cafe, enjoying the older’s whine of pain.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

7:34pm

Still no call from Yeonjun— perhaps, he had forgotten to text him. Beomgyu decided he would just trod on his own after being betrayed by his own friend over a new boy. 

The walk was relatively short and he found himself knocking his door with a bag of snacks in his grasp. “Come on, hyung.”

No response.

The boy tried knocking again, yet there was no response. Maybe he wasn’t home yet. Right when he turned back to leave, a bold voice caught him off guard. “I’ve been told not to allow anyone inside unless the owner of this house returns.”

Beomgyu turned back to face the closed door, “But I am his friend. Please let me in,”

“I apologize. I can’t.”

“All you have to do is unlock and open the door.”

“Are you Yeonjun-hyung?”

“No.”

“Then I can’t open it.”

Beomgyu cursed internally, less at the stubbornness of the boy and more that the fact that Yeonjun didn’t tell him he was coming. He stood there for a few moments before speaking up again, “Hey, my legs hurt. Please open up.”

“A weakling.”

Beomgyu’s jaw dropped at the disrespect. And it was a stranger! How rude— but before he could retort, a hand found its way on his shoulder turning him around.

Upon finding the culprit he was looking for he streamed out his frustration in long sentences. “How dare you not tell him about your dearest friend of so long let alone not mention I was visiting tonight. He wouldn’t open up for so long and came here all the way from my apartment, to the store to get snacks and here just because you asked me to and I get treated this way. I cannot take this disresp—”

Yeonjun pressed his hand against the other’s mouth to shut his loud mouth. “If you don’t shut up, Choi, it will be my mouth next.”

His big eyes widened even more at his words and pulled out of the elder’s grasp. “Eww, gross. Take your flirting somewhere else. I know I am attractive.” But his ears were turning red. 

He averted his eyes away from the elder to the door. “Ask him to open. He wouldn’t budge unless it was the ‘owner’ of the house.”

The pink haired boy was clearly amused at the reactions of the boy before him. Chuckling lightly, he knocked on the door. “Taehyun, it’s me.”

Instantly recognizing his voice the door opened up welcoming him inside, greeted with a warm smile. ‘There was an intruder just a few—” his words cut off the moment he realized the presence of a new individual in the room. 

His first instinct was to hide behind the elder’s shoulder, peeking at the newcomer. “You!”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes, “I am his best friend, his one and only. Didn’t he mention it,” 

“No.”

The one word reply made him scream in frustration but his voice still remained a little low, cautious of the prince in the room. “Yah, Choi Yeonjun, tell him about me at least now!”

The said boy was clearly amused at the first meeting between the other two boys. It would be an interesting sight to watch these two. He could feel it. 

“This is Choi Beomgyu, my one and only friend.” quoting him from before he continued. “And it’s okay if you let him into the house.”

Yeonjun pushed Taehyun forward by the shoulders towards the other who still seemed skeptical of him. “Come on, he’s a nice guy, I promise.”

Holding out his hand for a handshake, Beomgyu gave Yeonjun a look when the blond boy just stared at him as if scrutinizing him. Honestly, it was creeping the hell out of the black haired boy. 

It almost felt like waiting for a baby to repeat its first words, eyes full of intent. 

Embarrassment rushed to his cheeks when his hand was left in the air with no response and was about to retract his hand. Right at that moment, Taehyun mimicked the other’s action and raised his hand — the same side as his. 

A light chuckle left the older duo’s lips and the pink haired boy just sandwiched his hands between his own. “This is going to be fun.”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Sprawled on the couch, Beomgyu and Taehyun were huddled next to each other like squashed marshmallows while Yeonjun sat on the fool leaning on it — a result of his so-called best friend kicking him down for calling Finding Dory an overrated movie. 

As the scene of a young dory getting lost into the spiraling current into the pipes played, sniffles echoed in the room and Yeonjun turned around to find the both of them in a mess of tears. 

Sighing, he passed the box of tissue to them shaking his head at the sensitive mess behind him. It was only a few minutes until his eyes became droopy and he fell asleep. 

When he finally regained consciousness, it was to the commotion caused by the two kids playing video games. 

“How dare you attack me when I almost reached the mystery box?”

“Anything is fair in love and war.” the slightly taller male retorted. “This is war.”

“What a vile man you are.”

He threw the remote control aside when the screen flashed ‘Game Over’ in bright bold letters. “Huh? Say that again,”

Taehyun held his head up high and smirked, “You are a vile man.”

“Why you little—” the older was ready to pounce on the prince but before he could do anything, he was stopped by a body falling on top of him instead. “It’s literally two past midnight. Let me have some sleep, will ya?”

Pushing Yeonjun’s weight off of him onto the floor once again, he huffed, “How do you live with this man?” 

“Mustn’t I be the one uttering those words? How does he make do with the likes of you?”

“Don’t question me, I have lived with him all my life.”

Before the blonde boy could even come up with the next sentence he was stopped by a tired looking Yeonjun. “You guys like, just met today. Give it some time and me some mercy. Let me sleep.”

This immediately got Taehyun to quiet down, oddly enough and sat down back where he originally was. The other boy noticed his sudden shift in demeanor.

Beomgyu shook him awake by the shoulders. “Didn’t you say this was a night stay? Where’s the fun if we sleep all night and I leave in the morning?”

Maybe it was a Beomgyu special but the tone of his voice was one when he needed to imply something — a tone when he wouldn’t be able to speak his thoughts directly. 

The pink man nodded ever so slightly in acknowledgement. Rubbing the sleep off of his eyes, he sat up straight turning to him. “What do you want to do, Your Highness?” 

His eyebrows shot up in panic and Yeonjun sensed it. “Don’t worry, he knows about it.”

“Oh,” was all that he said. 

After a few more rounds with the three of them playing video games, he lied down once again. This time he was joined by the other two on either side of him staring at the ceiling — the paint was scraping off; he needed to fix it. 

All this time, Yeonjun’s mind had been distracted from the book they had found earlier. But now that the fun was finally over and all the adrenaline drained out of their system, the familiar feeling of anxiousness returned back to him no matter how hard he tried to not think.

There were so many questions he wanted to ask him. So many things he wanted to know, learn and do. 

He wanted Taehyun to be in them— to do the things he wanted to try and experience. 

In a short time, the prince had made a home in his heart without even realizing it — a place full of love and affection with a layer of protectiveness. 

A hope settled in the little space in his chest that the boy would take the first step in trying to open up— he couldn’t force him even if he wanted to. After all, his duty was only to show him all the things he wanted to experience— a taste of freedom. 

He had his limits, Yeonjun had to learn them.

It was almost four in the morning and Yeonjun stomach formed a knot and a slight pang of pain in his throat at the mere thought of the expanse of his desires.

As if Taehyun had sensed his dilemma, he spoke up. “The day before I came here,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, “I did not expect my wish would come true.”

_ Me too _ , he wanted to say but decided to keep it to himself. 

Looking at the boy from the corner of his eye, he had his eyes focused on a specific part of the chapped ceiling. “You know I have been arranged with a prince to tie a knot with. However, that is only a part of the reason why I wished to get to freedom.”

_ “Mother, please. Let me choose for myself just this once.” _

_ “You shall not be with that commoner. It’s final.” _

_ “But, mother—” before the younger Taehyun could say a thing, the door of his room was shut, locking him inside.  _

_ Knees weak, he fell to the floor with a thud, an endless stream of tears rolled down his face. _

_ His heart was heavy with guilt and pain, loud sobs echoed across the empty room left alone to his own company.  _

_ What crime had he committed? What was his fault? Why was he being taken away from him?  _

_ Before he could wallow in self pity and helplessness the faint voice of the queen reached his ears. _

_ “Banish him.” _

_ Those words were enough to make the world slip right beneath his feet. This couldn’t be happening. This shouldn’t be happening.  _

_ Only if he had been more responsible. Only if he could take a hold of how he acted— perhaps he would still be beside him that day.  _

_ Feet moved on their own accord and pushed his weight against the huge door. Nothing seemed to make sense. He had to stop it. His hands banged against the wood, desperate to be freed.  _

_ His screams seemed soundless, tears blinding his vision as he mindlessly yelled for the door to be opened. “It’s the prince’s orders. Open the door!” _

_ Maids on the other side stood hesitant on their feet, hands clasped tightly into fists to resist the helpless cries of their prince on the other side of the door. “We apologize, Your Highness. The Queen has told us not to follow your orders.” _

_ “I said open up!” he yelled with a cracked voice, mustering up the last of his courage to stand his ground but to no avail.  _

_ “We can’t.”  _

_ The door shook violently on its hinges for hours on end until it didn’t anymore. Worry crept up in the hearts of the servants standing outside but if they tried disobeying the orders of the Queen, they feared the fate the other boy had to face.  _

_ Taehyun lied on the carpeted floor, helpless. His top drenched with the tears that refused to stop. It was his fault. It was all his fault.  _

_ He hated his existence, everything he was given since birth. All these privileges, it never did good for him. _

_ All this comfort and glory, he didn’t need it.  _

_ What good did it bring him anyway? _

_ This money and gold, all it did was take his love away from him. The boy he had given his heart to — he was gone.  _

_ The look of horror still vivid in the mind of the blond boy. His chest constricted in pain as the memories of a few hours played in his mind once again.  _

_ It didn’t seem real. Maybe he’d just wake up and then realize this was all just a bad dream and he would be back in the arms of the younger boy again.  _

_ But that was not to be.  _

“Oh—” A single drop of a tear rolled down his face as he narrated his story to the two boys who sat on either side of him with looks of sympathy. 

“We’re sorry to hear that,” the pink haired boy spoke up once he finished narrating a piece of his past. It hurt his heart to know how his life had been subjected to the strict rules and regulations of the life of a royalty. How he had been given no chance to choose anything for himself. 

Even through the tears, the boy held a gentle smile etched on his face. His heart sped up at the realization. All he wanted to do was to wipe the tears and take away his pain in the form of a kiss. Only if he could. 

Beomgyu on the other hand was frozen, still taking in all the information before shaking his head breaking out of the trance. “A year after this, did they force you to marry the other prince?”

Wiping his face with a tissue he gave a small nod. “I hate being royalty sometimes.”

Both the boys nodded in understanding, unable to say anything at the sudden confession. 

“Every single night I sneaked into the royal gardens to wish for salvation to take me away from the suffering of being born with royal blood.”

Shifting his legs uncomfortably, he continued with a feeble voice, “He was assigned to be my guard, but was almost the same age as mine. All his life, he’d spent it protecting me from the world, just like how moth— the Queen wanted.“ he cleared his throat, “He’d tell me all about how the people in the countryside lived, how the children would play in the fields and their giggles would spread across the expanse of the air, brightening everything. Little girls would sit by the meadows weaving the most messily intricate flower wreaths and gifted it to their parents when they returned from their work.”

“He always saw the good in others despite growing up in the harsh environment for a soldier, he had a heart as soft as the wings of a butterfly and just as gentle.” 

A look of pride made its way on the face of the blond boy at the memory but disappeared just as fast. “Kamal — it means perfection — which he was in every possible way. His heart held nothing but love. If only we hadn’t confessed, maybe he would’ve been with me.” 

Frowning, Taehyun leaned back against the couch absentmindedly playing with the hem of his hoodie. “After a few months they told me I was to marry Prince Choi from the smaller kingdom next to us. There was nothing but good things heard about him. Upon the first meeting, he really did have the charm and not a single flaw and then there was me, once again left behind in the pace of this world.” he turned to face Yeonjun this time, “This was the time when you wished upon the moon at the same time as I, causing me to end up here.”

Smiling, he clasped the hand of the younger boy in his, “I am glad, I could bring you out of the lonely world.”

His heart skipped a beat when he met the eyes of the latter’s sparkling big ones. Everything around him seemed to have blurred out. His sole focus was on his smile and the way his deep dimples appeared whenever he got excited — and right there was that smile with pearly white teeth in full display. “Thank you for calling me.” 

He didn’t realize when Beomgyu had gotten up and left but he would worry about that later. He could feel that his heart was on the verge of combusting. The drowsy high not bothering to filter out his words giving his emotions a pedestal. 

“I would keep you forever if I could. You might have come in like a storm into my life but you have carved a place in my heart like on a bark of wood. I should be the one thanking you for taking away my loneliness.”

The two boys stared into each other’s eyes intently, drinking in their souls reflected in them. 

Nowhere could he find a morsel of dishonesty and unfaithfulness in them. The gravity of their hearts pulled them closer to each other. Without realizing, they were close enough to feel the hot breath of the other on their skin, causing shivers to move up the spine. 

Perhaps the window was left for the dandelion to dance with the wind that caused their hearts to race and shiver. 

They still leaned in space between them until there was none. The ghost of a kiss caught their hearts in a frenzy beating erratically in the cavity of their chests ringing loudly in their ears. 

Taehyun leaned in further into the gentle kiss, his hands on the other’s shoulders for support. 

What felt like a few seconds, Yeonjun snapped back into reality and realized what he had done, immediately pulling away, his face matching the color of his hair. 

Taehyun too realized his actions and turned away from him in embarrassment. 

“I— just— uhm, I’ll just go and… sleep.”

“Yes.”

“I can already hear the chickens cry. We should sleep, we need you awake during your shift.” thus saying, he scurried off into the bedroom closing it shut. 

The older male just sat there in the deafening silence letting out a scream in frustration with his hands on his head. 

“What am I doing?!”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

Days turn to weeks and Yeonjun only feels himself more drawn towards the blond boy. Each time he giggles, he feels the entire world light up in a splashes of pinks, oranges and yellow. 

Over the time, he had learnt about the way things worked around him— yet his curiosity was insatiable. Taehyun would still pop up with the most random questions and Yeonjun would take his time to sit down and explain it to him. 

The kiss from that day had been swept under the rug. No one mentioned it— as if nothing had happened. The older male had hoped that maybe, he would talk about it, or if he could do it once again but once again he was reminded of that book. 

‘ _ There is a time limit.’ _

He would only bring himself pain if he kept giving his heart away to someone who would go away soon let alone not love him back the same.

So he decided to distract himself with other things. Well, those  _ other  _ things somehow, included Taehyun. 

It was almost like teaching a child, filling their little minds with the beautiful details of the world. 

But for Yeonjun, it was like filling the other’s heart with little pieces of himself in hopes that he would cherish them later. 

A week ago, they went out to eat. The street was jam packed with people on a Sunday and the crowd seemed to have blocked every path towards the cafe. So the two decided on street food, which Taehyun was so willing to try. 

When they reached the market, the sight of the numerous tiny lights reflected in his glossy eyes like little stars, his shy dimples made an appearance. Yeonjun wished he could kiss them. 

So he settled on pinching his cheeks, causing the other’s eyes to crinkle and erupt in a fit of giggles. “Come on, little prince.” he pulled him by his arm into the crowd. “Let’s fill up your tummy with yummy food.”

Soon they found themselves in front of a tteokbokki stall. Yeonjun ordered two servings for each of them while Taehyun looked open mouthed at the hot vapor rose from the plates they were handed. 

The moment he had his first bite of the fishcakes, his eyebrows rose in surprise. “This tastes impeccable!”

Yeonjun just laughed at the way the blond boy balled his little fists in excitement upon trying every new dish. The older may or may not have taken this opportunity to feed the blond male in public, not caring about what the others would think. 

They went around and had several kinds of food to bless their taste buds and just enjoy their time outside. 

He didn’t forget to finish it off with a set of sushi — Taehyun’s personal favorite. Just watching his face crinkle in the most endearing way at relishing the flavor didn’t fail to make his heart flutter.

At the end of the day they reached an isolated part of the beach, far away from the crowd where there was no one but the two of them, the noise faded away into the crashing of the waves.

The gentle sound of the waves along with the song of the salty breeze blend perfectly like music. The reflection of the crescent moon looked breathtaking like it was out of a painting.

“Hyung, thank you for bringing me here.” he looked at his feet covered with sand, sitting on it. 

Yeonjun shook his head, “It’s nothing really. You seemed to have enjoyed a lot tonight,”

“I did.” he whispered, “almost felt like one of those meetings I was meant to have with the other prince…”

Yeonjun didn’t speak a word, so he continued. “Hyung, what do you think love is like?”

The former’s heart sped up at the mention of love and ears turned red. He was internally thanking the gods above for the darkness where the other wouldn’t be able to see him clearly.

Letting out a loud exhale, “I don’t know, Hyun.” he looked up at the starry sky thinking about his own feelings. Was it love that he felt or infatuation from being lonely? It was a whole jumble of emotions in his chest he wished he could get rid of. 

But the same feeling was addicting, he was turning greedy at the cost of his own heart.

_ ‘Calm down Yeonjun’ _ , he told himself. 

He thought about it. What did he feel?

All those past moments with him played in his mind like a movie. Somehow all the focus was on the times when he smiled wide, or the times when he broke into a fit of giggles. 

It was beautiful, it felt exhilarating to know he was the reason behind the smile that appeared on his face all this time. It was like the twilight in the meadows on a spring day when dews form themselves on the leaves and the flowers. That was the first half. 

The second half is the one who brings in the sunlight, shining on these flowers piercing through the dew drops like shining crystals. The light is warm but the wind is cool and right at that time, there is an enchanting harmony formed between the two. That feeling of refreshment, and new experiences— that was love. 

Was it really how he felt because no one had taught him about it before. 

It felt so different from the usual flirting he did. This one, he felt scared at the thought of losing his light— the one who made him shine so bright and now he was afraid of the dark that would take over if he left. 

He didn’t tell him— his heart was too cowardly to say it right to the person he had found love in. 

Just being in the presence of the other made his heart feel full. So he let it remain that way lest he ruined it. 

Maybe the sun would end up shining so bright that would dry off his dew drops. He’d rather keep it to himself. 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

_Last week:_

Now, he looked at the dandelion that sat in full bloom on the bench of the park Yeonjun had come to wish in. 

The puff of bright yellow, showing off its glory to everyone who set their eyes on it. And against the night background, it stood out even more and sitting across it was his own puff of blond hair — his dandelion, whose eyes moved with each movement of the dandelion in its dance with the wind. 

Unaware of his own actions, he absentmindedly played a song from his phone, letting the song take control over his body automatically swaying to the slow beat. 

_ Moon river, wider than a mile _

_ I'm crossing you in style someday _

Taehyun’s head perched up when the sound reached his ears. Yeonjun walked towards him, extending him a hand in invitation. 

_ Oh, dream maker, you heartbreaker _

_ Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way  _

Smiling, Taehyun took his hand and walked him right beside the fountain under the dim light of the starry sky, looking at the other boy intently. 

There was something hypnotizing about the way the pink male’s body moved on its own accord to the music, right on beat. Music ran through his veins like blood. 

_ Two drifters, off to see the world _

_ There's such a lot of world to see _

The words from the song hit a little too close to home but the both of them decided not to comment on it — just enjoying the company of each other as they swayed holding each other in their arms. 

_ We're all after the same rainbow's end _

_ Waiting, round the bend _

Hands wrapped around each other, they moved in sync with the music letting the music guide them through the pace and the taller male pulled him closer by his waist, chest to chest, looking right into his bright orbs.

Not realizing he had tears in his eyes until they rolled down his cheek, Yeonjun’s eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise before wiping them with the back of his sleeve. 

Taehyun looked on and cupped his cheeks, wiping away the tears with the gentle touch of his thumb sparing him from the question that bubbled in his chest. 

Yeonjun leaned onto his touch, placing his own hand over Taehyun’s. He pulled away for a few seconds, placing a small kiss on the inside of his hands, inhaling in his scent. 

The smaller male smiled looking down, a hint of pink dusting his cheeks. 

Their hearts held a lot more than the words could express in the prison of their chest but somehow found their way out in the most minuscule of actions. 

As the song came to an end, they let go of each other, unwillingly so. The doubts they carried didn’t allow them to go their own way. 

The prince looked into the fountain under the new moon, no reflection of it. Just the stars scattered like little pearls over the layer of pennies in the bottom on the cold tiles. He put his hand into the water feeling the heavy metal come in contact with his skin. 

The reason why Taehyun was able to come here.

Yeonjun just looked at him in awe, letting him explore the place on his own. 

Picking up a sole penny from it, she showed it to the older male, which gleamed under the dim neon lights of the park. “It looks pretty,”

Tossing the coin back into the place it came from, they returned back home— their hearts containing little bits and pieces of each other unbeknownst to them. 

Though their shoulders bumped into one another as they walked, it still felt too far. The desire to share the warmth of their hands from the harsh cold was strong, yet no one took the first step, walking home in an awkward silence surrounded with a tension thick in the air.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

_Back to Present:_

“What the hell?!” A scream echoed in the apartment, jerking awake the prince who had been sleeping peacefully in the bedroom. He quickly ran outside to see why Yeonjun had screamed only for his own breath to stop at the sight. 

There he stood, tall and intimidatingly so — 

Prince Choi Soobin.

“What are you doing here?” the two men of royalty spoke up at the same time and in between them stood a horrified Yeonjun, looking at them with his jaw dropped on the floor.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The situation felt familiar as the three of them sat around the coffee table facing each other in discussion. 

“It is a delight to meet you, Yeonjun-ssi.”

The said male nodded with an awkward smile and looked back at Taehyun who seemed to have been staring daggers at the other prince but immediately averted his gaze when he turned around — a flustered mess. 

“So, I assume you do not know about the lunar-bridge.” Soobin folded his hands, resting it on the table. 

Taehyun replied a little too fast, “Of course I do.”

Tilting his head to a side he rose a brow, “Then you know about the time limit,”

A small nod was all he could get for a reply. 

An exasperated sigh escaped the taller boy’s lips. “Do you realize how dangerous it is, what you did?” 

Yeonjun just stared between the two of them making a conversation as if he wasn’t there at all. Okay, maybe he did try to blend into the background and disappear from the intimidating aura of the newcomer but he wasn’t going to tell them that. 

Being on the sidelines was good once in a while. 

“I know.” he repeated. “I know how dangerous it is.”

“Then why did you go out in the full moon when you knew you might be lost in the time rift when you could have gone out any other night?” His voice was surprisingly calm for words that seemed to hold some amount of frustration. 

“You think you have the right to ask me while you stand right before me in the same timeline as I?”

The pink male looked up from his place at the taller boy, who’s eyes were big in bewilderment unable to utter a single word after that. 

In a moment, his eyes went back to normal with a small smile playing on his lips. “You really don’t know, huh?”

Taehyun frowned at that. “What do you mean?”

“Not many know about this since the formation of lunar bridges is so rare but— if the trigger of its formation is meddled with, it causes an imbalance. You might get stranded here forever—”

“Being stranded here is better than to be used like a rag doll for their own benefit.” he spat, losing his usual calm demeanor, but the other stayed the same — like water to the fire Taehyun was. 

Yeonjun could feel the difference in the way they interacted with one another. It wasn’t like how it was with Beomgyu nor was it the same as how it was with him. The air around them seemed heavy, like he shouldn’t be there. Yet he didn’t move a muscle and stood his ground. 

When Taehyun said those last words, a hint of a butterfly began fluttering in his stomach 

“—that imbalance caused your lunar-bridge to meddle with mine on the new moon night. It caused the rift to pull me in to where you are. Why else do you suppose I am here?”

Taehyun’s eyes went as wide as saucers upon this revelation. He froze like a statue and Yeonjun felt his soul crack at the sight. 

“I— I didn’t — I didn’t know that…” his voice suddenly turned ever so feeble from the bold voice earlier, dripping with guilt. 

All the eldest wished for was to wrap his arms around him to ease down the worry. Before he could even move, a long hand stopped him in his place. 

“Stay.”

Yeonjun glared at him, ready to put up a fight if he hadn’t opened his mouth. “He was engaged to me not only because the Queen had asked me to. I’ve known the Prince ever since he was born— their kingdom is too large to be uninformed about it. There are a very few people who have their moons lined up in the perfect angle and phase to complete each other—”

Taehyun, whose hands were wrapped around his knees looked up again. The dark haired prince gave him a small smile, a genuine one. “Prince Kang and my moon, they did — they fit each other perfectly. He was born under the bright glow of the full moonlight while I was greeted by the dim starlights welcoming the new moon. We are soul—”

“I am not anyone’s soulmate. It doesn’t exist.” he snapped, cutting the other off with his loud voice.

The other prince let out an exhale, “It is because of the soulmate bond our lunar- bridges clashed. What the Queen is thinking of, I do not know and I don’t think there is anything that can be done until someone else takes over the throne — like you.”

Taehyun got up from his place, having had enough but the pleading look on Soobin's face halted him in his steps. His warm hand gently wrapped around his own, pulling him to sit down next to him. 

He didn’t resist. 

“Your Highness, I know this must be a lot to take in for you. I can wait for you no matter how long I have to.” he brought his other hand over his clasping it in his palm, bringing it closer to his chest. “Just like how the new moon awaits for the one to complete it in — I will be waiting for your arrival.”

A lump formed in his throat, unable to say anything to him. Even after running away from his kingdom like a coward, the dark haired male still insisted on waiting for him. And he could sense the genuineness of his voice — something he had never seen in his mother. 

Amidst of it all, Yeonjun soul crushed into pieces. The man whom he had finally come to love, someone he had finally found home in already had someone else in his life. 

He couldn’t even refute the fact that he was a good match for him. Everything he had said from the start till the end — it was all for Taehyun’s sake. He even knew about the stubbornness of the Queen. 

Perhaps it was time he let go of his love. 

No matter how much he loved him, he couldn’t have what wasn’t his. So he backed off. 

“I need to use the restroom,” He got up and locked himself inside it. 

But even then, his heart was still with the blond boy— the bits and pieces of his heart he kept giving him, he didn’t realize when it became a whole. A lump formed in his throat as he tried to stop his tears. 

_ ‘Take a deep breath _ ,’ he said to himself. It was suffocating, no amount of breathing seemed to help his aching heart. It only kept getting worse as the reality slowly dawned on him. 

It was no wonder why their personalities seemed to have clicked even if they barely met, or why Taehyun had found him perfect — it all made sense now. They were indeed soulmates, he was naturally bound to find comfort in him, be with him.

Why not Yeonjun then? Did he not deserve it too?

A choked sob left his mouth as he leaned over the sink for support. ‘ _ All I wanted was to feel home. Why, just why? _ ’

On the other side, the two princes still sat close to each other comfortably, completely unaware of the storm going on in the heart of the eldest. 

“There’s a lot of secrets to this bridge, many yet waiting to be discovered, Your Highness. The Queen still hasn’t realized your absence till now and I believe my family won’t know about it too— it would remain this way until our respective moon phases occur again.”

Nodding slowly, he began playing with the hem of his shirt, feeling anxious. “What if I don’t wish to go back? What if I want to be with him?” he bit his bottom lip, anticipating the other’s reply. 

“History might change. Even the most minor of ripples in the rifts of time create a butterfly effect. People present now may not exist anymore. There’s… much more to  _ lose  _ than gain, Prince.”

Soobin straightened his back, preparing himself for the moment he dreaded. He knew how Taehyun felt— now he felt helpless not being able to do anything for him. 

He hated how he couldn’t do anything to share the burden of his. He felt selfish yet powerless. 

The light in the younger boy’s eyes dimmed, unfocused; the reality of the situation crashed down on him. 

“The bridge… it's been connected to mine, does that mean your link will be severed if we don’t go while the new moon is still visible.”

“I might get stuck here forever if we wait for the next full moon.”

For once, he wanted to be selfish. To do things for himself— fate didn’t want that apparently, once again stuck between his responsibilities in the curse of his world and the royalty. 

But it was all too dangerous; he wouldn’t be able to live in guilt like that.

Taking in a sharp breath, he spoke up, “Just one day, let me be with him, please.”

Little droplets fell on the surface of the coffee table. 

He looked on at the pitiful man with a pained expression, leaning forward to engulf him into a warm embrace against his chest unable to look at the teary eyes. It hurt seeing his soulmate this way. “I am sorry for making you go through this.”

It hurt. Even if rocks were thrown at him, it wouldn’t hurt as much when having to bid farewell to the one who had given him so much in the span of a moment. 

Who knew he would have to be so cruel to the kindest among the kind hearts that was Yeonjun’s. 

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

A knock jerked Yeonjun from his place on the cold tiles making him stand up. 

Quickly washing his face to remove any traces of his breakdown earlier, not wanting to put the other in a spot, he dried it and finally opened the door. “Sorry,”

He stepped out and was about to enter the bedroom when a hand on his arm stopped him. “Wait.”

A knot formed in his stomach at the contact. He closed his eyes, trying to collect himself before turning around with a smile on his face, obviously forced. 

“Why’re you avoiding me?” The tone of his voice was enough for Yeonjun to realize that this might be the last of the moments he would have with the boy. The desperateness evident.

As much as he wished to kiss away the frown on his face, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. 

Taehyun’s mouth opened again to explain the older of the situation but Yeonjun stopped him even before he could begin, bringing his long finger to the other’s soft lips. 

Even if he felt like someone was constricting his neck from talking he still said, “Alright. I won’t.”

Maybe if he didn’t hear it out loud, it would all be a bad dream and everything would go back to normal. If only it was, that is. 

“What do you wanna do or anything you want to do?” Yeonjun asked, bringing his jacket. “And where’s  _ he _ ?” 

“Prince Soobin went out to explore the city on his own.” he said shuffling his feet. “Can I spend this day with you?”

“Isn’t that what we did ever since you arrived?” the elder let out a dry laugh trying to lighten the dense atmosphere around them. 

Maybe Taehyun hadn’t realized that yet but Yeonjun would give him the stars if he asked to.

And so, they stood in front of the place where they first met, in the kitchen. A small ghost of a smile played at his lips at the memory of him thinking Taehyun was a rat, ready to capture it. But things don’t always turn out as you expect them to be. 

Instead, he was the one who’s heart ended up being captured by the prince. 

“Ramen?” he asked, taking out a packet of it from the shelf and setting the water to boil. 

“Yes!” he grinned wide and the older male could swear he felt fireworks set off in his chest. 

Just like that, the two ended up making ramen for lunch along with some kimchi fried rice (which ended up being slightly burnt by Taehyun, but Yeonjun ate it anyway).

“You might end up having a stomach ache,” Taehyun said as he finished the last of his ramen.

Yeonjun waved his hand in denial. “I think my digestive system can handle it. It was tasty anyways.”

Taehyun felt his heart flutter and ears turn red at the compliment.

Next, the duo had set out of the house to roam about the city. It didn’t take a lot of convincing to bring Taehyun with him. 

“I may not be able to show you everywhere but there’s this very special place I wanted to bring you to.” The pink haired boy had said as he moved quickly about the house making quick preparations. 

The younger boy looked on at him in confusion, but finally let out a small giggle, stopping him for a moment, holding him by the arm. “Your hair, it’s a little funny. Let me just—” and he rose on his tiptoes to get a better look and fix his hair. 

Breathing hitched at the close proximity with the prince, his eyes found a spot on his neck— there sat a small mole at the juncture between his neck and collarbone. It looked so pretty and perfect and so, so soft. He wished he could caress it, kiss it. 

Fixing his hair, he got back on his feet, now face suddenly just inches away from each other — they stood frozen with eyes locked on each other. 

In the sunlight that poured into the room, Taehyun’s eyes glowed a light golden. A galaxy of stars that lived within them called for him, drawing him in. 

Taehyun’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink under Yeonjun’s piercing gaze that had him feel vulnerable in front of him. Looking away coyly, “Shall we get going then?”

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The taxi finally came to halt in front of a large set of stone steps. Paying the driver, Yeonjun guided the prince towards the stairs. “I thought I would show this to you later but I guess there’s no time for that.” his voice solemn that sent a twinge of pain to the other’s heart; he didn’t wanna leave. 

But he didn’t wish to ruin the mood so he didn’t say anything. 

As they walked ahead, the stairs led to a path set in stone. All around him were trees and vines with little shrubs with flowers decorating the forest floor. The chirping of the birds resonated throughout the area, the quietness around them magnifying it. 

Yeonjun grabbed his hand with his and walked off the path, directly into the forest, startling Taehyun. 

“Don’t worry. I come here a lot.” the former reassured, confidently pulling him deeper into the forest. 

With each footstep on the forest floor, the leaves beneath them rustled and that coupled with the song of the birds created a beautiful harmony that almost reminded Taehyun of his own home. 

A bunch of willow trees came into view and that was exactly where Yeonjun took him.

Moving the branches from the view, they reached a clearing, still green but much more wide and open. The willow trees surrounded them in a semi circle and a small patch of flowers sat right in the middle of it all, basking in the evening sunlight. 

Taehyun’s eyes widened in awe, bedazzled by the beauty of it all. 

Small flowers scattered around the small space like little stars in the sky, swayed gently in the breeze, glowing golden. Random butterflies fluttered past from the sides— it seemed like a fairytale. 

No matter how long he looked, he couldn’t grasp the beauty of the small garden in the midst of a dense forest in his little heart. He wanted to look at every inch and be enveloped in the golden glory. 

“Like it?” Yeonjun bent towards him from behind with a giddy smile plastered on his face. 

Taehyun nodded with his mouth wide open in shock. Yeonjun giggled and pushed his chin up to close it, snapping Taehyun back to reality. 

“I love it. Hyung, how did you even find this place?”

“Got lucky,” he replied, bringing him to the center where the sunlight shone radiantly over him. He got lucky in meeting him too, but he kept it to himself. “It’s a secret.”

The younger boy let out a small whine causing the older to chuckle and ruffle his hair. 

“Go explore if you’d like.” he gestured to the space and the said boy didn’t hesitate and rushed to the flowers immediately. 

His skin glowed oh so beautifully under the warm light of the sun. His already golden hair became more radiant, almost luminescent like an angel had appeared before him

There was no way he was real. He couldn’t be. 

But the moment a soft hand came in contact with his cheek he was drawn back to reality. His love stood before him with a radiant smile on his face. His resolve to keep his distance from the other kept crumbling as he leaned into the warmth of his palm. 

A split second later, he pulled his hand back, looking anywhere but him, his cheeks flushed. 

The two of them sat down on the cool grass ignoring the awkward silence that had settled between them like fine sand in small cracks, enjoying the last few moments of the sun before heading back home. 

Hanging their jackets back on the hanger, Yeonjun asked, “Hungry?”

“Not really…”

The male nodded in acknowledgement, yet sat across him with a few snacks at hand. “Just in case I get hungry.” he said. 

The night sky engulfed the day unto itself bringing out the stars concealed by the sharp rays of the sun. Constellations glowed bright in the blanket of dark, moonless sky. 

Gently picking up the now bigger fluff of yellow petals, Taehyun looked at the soft flowers which had reached its peak bloom. 

It would only go downhill from now. 

Despite it all, the energy the small flower emitted, still dancing with the wind even if it was lonely was heartwarming. He blew on it gently wishing Yeonjun to be just as happy as it was after he left. 

“You really love it a lot, huh?” the male spoke up. 

As wonderful as it felt to have him so close to him, he couldn’t be there forever. It was just a moment waiting to be forgotten like a scintillating dream. 

Responsibilities that came to him from being a prince suffocated him like a pillow on his face. He wished he could live in this dream forever— just Yeonjun and him. 

But he knew he had to push the weight off of him, catch his breath and go on with real life as much as he dreaded it. 

However, with the remaining air in his lungs, he would use it. This time with the other male, he’d make sure to make it worthwhile. 

He smiled up looking at the male across from him. Yeonjun really had given him so much in such a short time, Taehyun could never forget everything he had ever done for him. 

“Thank you for showing me that place. I could sense it meant a lot to you,”

Yeonjun’s cheeks rose with a shy smile, “It does. I go there when things get too overwhelming sometimes or if home gets too suffocating.” Looking up at him he continued. “I wanted to show you there, I knew you would have liked it.”

“I didn’t just like it, I loved it. I wish I could keep going there.” 

Like a sudden flash, Yeonjun got up and walked into his room. Before Taehyun could get up and follow him, he came back out with a small oddly shaped box in his hold, sitting back in his place.

He extended it towards the blond boy, “This— is an instant camera. You can take pictures of whatever you want to look at for a long time.”

Then he fished out something from his back pocket, “These are the pictures I’d taken when I first found the place. I immediately ran home to take a picture,”

Once again, his eyes brightened up in awe with little stars embedded in them. 

“It’s like painting portraits, but with a machine?”

Yeonjun nodded and Taehyun squealed in excitement. Taking the camera from his hands, Yeonjun pointed the camera towards him, “Say cheese,”

Confusion spread across his face at the sudden instruction and a small light flashed from it, capturing the beauty of the prince before him. 

In a few moments, a piece of film rolled out from it. After flapping it a few times under the light, he handed it to the excited boy. “This looks gorgeous!”

“Of course it would be, it is you after all.”

Taehyun’s face immediately flushed a deep red but brushed it off fast. “Can I try?”

The other boy hummed in agreement, handing him the camera; this time he clicked a picture of Yeonjun who posed. A click followed by a flash and soon a similar piece of paper came out. 

Taehyun looked at it with confusion. “Why is it black?”

Even his confusion was so cute, Yeonjun thought. He would surely miss it when he would go. “Try bringing it closer to the light and shaking it.”

He did as he was told and in a few moments, the color began to spread across the piece of film revealing Yeonjun’s picture. 

“You look breathtaking in here.”

Yeonjun smiled at him, “You do too.”

“Can I keep it please?” he asked with eyes so big and cute, he almost squeezed his cheeks but just stuck to a short reply, “You don’t have to ask, you know.”

“Thank you!” He brought the photo close to his chest where his heart was. “I am going to treasure it forever.” 

Yeonjun’s heart fluttered at this but made no comment. Even if he tried his luck right then, he supposed there would be no use. “This flower has fully bloomed, hasn’t it?”

He spoke quickly changing the topic at hand to the little yellow family member. He didn’t realize when he began considering the small weed like a treasure, but he knew he would keep it forever even if it wilted. 

“This is its peak.” he sighed, staring at the flower with eyes full of longing. “Do you know what meaning they hold?”

Yeonjun shook his head. “I told you before, I don’t know much about flowers.”

He caressed a single petal with a gentle finger. Yeonjun didn’t know what was more mesmerizing— the beautiful flower or Taehyun who was stroking it ever so gently. 

“They are a symbol of strength and joy. They can endure almost any living condition, they represent overcoming every hardship by standing strong and proud. The yellow represents joy despite it all; always spreading positivity and love.”

With a small pause and a voice barely above a whisper, “It reminds me of you.” If Yeonjun hadn’t been sitting close, he might not hear him at all — his voice was so low like a secret being told. 

Moments passed in the deafening silence. Their voices in their heart rang loud and clear in their ears, their thoughts in a whirlwind of emotions. 

The younger boy wanted to say more— how dandelion seeds were used to make wishes come true. Who would tell Yeonjun that he was the dandelion Taehyun had always been looking for— the one who took him out to the world, showed him places, fed his curiosities and gave him so much remember. All the time, it was him who had fulfilled each of his wishes yet he sat there oblivious to it all. 

On the other hand, Yeonjun thought about how he came into his life like a storm. The dandelion seeds he blew as a child had appeared in the form of Prince Kang Taehyun who swept him off his feet in a flash. 

Taking away his heart and filling it with so much love and endearment that he began to appreciate his life again. The things he loathed in life— going out and exploring, everything became magical once Taehyun had come into his life. He looked forward to going for the impromptu late night walks with a million questions in its wake.

He couldn’t possibly list the things Taehyun had done for him knowingly or unknowingly, but he appreciated it— every single moment he got to spend with him, he would treasure it forever. 

In the short time, he had given him everything unaware of his own heart. But now that the time to break apart came closer, reality crashed down on him like a shower of bricks.

It was inevitable, but he would go through it. If Taehyun could do it, he could too no matter how hard it gets. With that mindset, he moved forward. 

Before they got up to prepare for dinner, the blond boy seemed to be a bit hesitant in his movements. 

“Is there something bothering you?” he asked with a voice oh-so soft. 

Like a fuse going off in his head, he shook his head violently. “T—the moon tonight looks b—beautiful, doesn’t it?”

This got Yeonjun even more perplexed, but he didn’t question it anymore.

Soon, Soobin came back home from his exploration. He didn’t answer when asked where he went so the older decided not to dwell further. 

Maybe because he was new or because it was the last dinner with Taehyun, dinner is awfully quiet. Soobin doesn’t even spare them a glance just eating what he was given and plopping on the couch soon after. 

“Hey, that’s my place—” 

Ignored. 

Gritting his teeth, he turns to look at Taehyun who just shrugged. 

Sighing, Yeonjun cleared the table off the food and got ready for bed, confused at the odd behavior. 

Out of the corner of his eyes, Soobin watched as the both of them retired to the bedroom, his heart crushing a little at the sight of his soulmate who was definitely attracted to the other male.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

“Just sleep here, hyung.”

“No!”

“Why not?”

Embarrassed, he rubbed the nape of his neck. “I—”

“Come here,”

Taehyun sat on the edge of the mattress, his arms wide open. Yeonjun’s eyes widened at the sight, his heart ready to jump out of its chest any given second. Was he really asking for a hug right now?

Despite Yeonjun’s obvious hesitation, Taehyun doesn’t let his arms fall, waiting for Yeonjun to come closer. 

He said he’d leave without regrets; he was doing it now. He knew Soobin knew about it all, he could sense it. But he also knew Soobin was setting himself aside on purpose, just so he could cherish his last moments with the elder and he appreciated it. He would be sure to tell him that once they get back. 

He was indeed too perfect of a man to exist. 

“My arms feel like they’re about to fall off.” the younger one egged on, whining. “Come on, now.”

Yeonjun felt his body betraying him as they walked to the other involuntarily wrapping his long arms around his small frame. 

It wasn’t until he felt the other boy shake in the envelope of his arms did he realize that he was sobbing— his own cheeks wet. He let his frustration pour over him just as the reality of the separation smacked him in the face despite being ready for it all day long. 

All day long, they knew they had to face this but kept brushing it off to not ruin the moment. He wanted to curse at the stupid fate that had decided all this, the creator of it all. Why did it have to end like this? 

Only if there was something magical that would allow them to be there for a longer time. Their hearts ached as the seconds progressed into minutes and minutes into hours in each other’s embrace. 

None of them wanted to let go of each other, lest he’d suddenly disappear from his sight into thin air. Yeonjun didn’t think he could handle that.

He pulled Taehyun over on his lap with a hand that sat on the small of his back, supporting him and the other hand gently stroked his soft pale skin, brushing away the stray tear there away from his face. “You look so beautiful, you know?”

“I have been told so,” he breathed, leaning his forehead against the pink haired boy’s, his breath fanning lightly over his lips. 

Hesitation was evident in his actions. So close, yet so far. Yeonjun didn’t dare move a finger in case he fucked up, he couldn’t lose the bare minimum he had. 

Their breathing uneven and hearts heavy in their chests, he could feel Taehyun’s eyebrows furrow into a frown followed by a choked sob. At least, he knew that when he’d return, he’d be in good hands, that were Soobin’s — it helped him in consoling his own self. He wouldn’t hurt him no matter what.

The sound of the sob made his soul rip apart. He couldn’t bear seeing him that way, he cupped his cheeks in the palm of his hands. His heart pounded hard against his chest, deafening him — anything Taehyun said, he couldn’t hear. 

It was until a pair of warm lips touched his own into a chaste kiss, taking him by surprise with eyes wide open. 

A million thoughts rushed to his mind in a second but everything seemed hazy as they clashed together in a wrecked havoc caused by the soft lips that moved against his own.

He forgot how to breathe, how to move. 

Once the first tear drops from his eyes, it doesn’t stop. He finally kisses him back with equal fervor. His hands roam on his back while Taehyun’s fingers tangled up in the long pink locks on the back of the elder’s head. 

It felt so wrong yet so right. Just for today, he let himself be selfish. 

No words spoken; all their emotions poured in the language of their kiss, mixed with the salty stream of tears that didn’t seem to stop.

All of Taehyun’s life, he waited for someone to take him out of his shell and to the world.

All of Yeonjun’s life, he wished he could get the sense of being home which he was deprived of despite growing up with his family around him. 

Who knew that day, the childishness of wishing upon the moon would bring him to such a beautiful dream. 

This beautiful man that stood before him, that came in like a storm and leaving with his heart for the same reason. His lips trembled, unable to utter a single word. 

In the time between the full moon till it disappeared to a new moon, they had become each other’s single seed of a dandelion unbeknownst to the other. 

Maybe that was how fate worked. Fate wasn’t kind, but it wasn’t ruthless either. It has its ways of dealing with life and this was one of them. 

It just came in the form of a boy who had everything and a boy who had nothing and ended with both of them finding harmony in their lives. 

Just two innocent boys who now left with a heavy sense of obligation to the ones who remained by their side. 

The two finally broke apart, panting for breath. No words were exchanged. Nothing but the sound of their breaths and the ringing of their hearts resonated in the room; it was louder and more vivid than words could ever. 

Just like that, the both of them slipped into the world of utopia where they could be together without a care.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The morning sunlight poured through the room filling the space with a beautiful golden glow. 

In the midst of the mess, slept a pink haired boy in the comfort of his blankets and pillows.

A loud knock on his door stirred him awake from his sleep. Rolling off his bed lazily, he walked up to his door and opened it, not bothered to fix his hair, revealing a shorter dark haired boy. 

“I knew you’d be sleeping!” He smacked him with a book on his messy head. “We have a test! You need to help me pass this.” 

His loud voice was enough to wake anyone up from the deepest of sleep. 

“Beomgyu, it is six in the morning. Spare me.” he yawned as he walked into the washroom. 

Finally washing up and fresh, he walked to the coffee table where the other boy sat waiting for him busy looking at the instant camera that laid on the table carelessly. 

“How did this get here?”

“Hmm?” the other boy looked at him. 

Yeonjun tilted his head in confusion with a small pout. “I remember I put it in my closet. What is it doing outside?”

He gave Beomgyu a look causing him to raise both hands defensively. “Hey, I just came in. I didn’t even know you owned a film camera.”

Yeonjun took a seat beside the other boy, an odd feeling settling in his chest— like he was forgetting something; he couldn’t remember it.

“Do you have the films?”

“They should be there in it.” he said, still lost in thought.

Beomgyu extended the camera back to him. “It’s empty, hyung.”

“Huh?” 

Yeonjun took the camera from his hands to check it himself. They were indeed empty. How is it possible, I was sure I had put in a new reel a while ago.”

“Hyung, you’re going old. Please stop stressing over school sometime and go party. Your hair might turn gray anytime soon.”

“Shut up, Gyu.” he retorted.

The said boy just snickered in response, stretching his arms as the morning breeze brushed past them, accidentally knocking off the small vase of dandelion off the window sill. Thankfully, his reflexes were quick enough to save it from a nasty crash. 

Along with the vase, a few pictures fell on top of his head, and one landing on the table. Yeonjun got up in haste, collecting all the pictures from the floor and looked at them, perplexed. 

A picture of the woods.

A picture of his video games lying carelessly on the floor, wires all over the place.

And the last picture was of the dandelion, taken exactly with the sun barely rising and the stars still visible; taken during the blue hour— the vibrancy of the blue, orange and yellow drew him in. 

“— as much as I hate to admit it, that’s a beautiful picture, hyung.” 

Letting out a nervous laughter, he murmured a small ‘yeah’ unable to remember when and where he had taken the picture. He turned the photograph over to find a few words scribbled in a neat handwriting over in a language he recognized was Japanese. 

_ 月がきれいですね. _

A ghost of a smile appeared on Yeonjun's lips subconsciously and silently pocketed the polaroids in his jeans. 

"Did someone leave you a love letter?"

"I'm not sure, Gyu. I don't understand Japanese. Let's focus on Korean History first— you are topping the class or no more staying in my house and no more video games." 

"Oh, come on, hyung!"

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ☾ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

At the other side of the world, in a different universe stood two men in the royal chambers within the palace. 

The guards stood vigilant, ready to signal in case the Queen came within eye’s reach. 

A large basin sat in the center of the room and in front of them hung a long mirror that reflected their respective above their heads with a radiant glow.

A mirror just above it reflected the image into the basin of water which now showed the image of a certain pink haired boy who seemed to be talking to his friend with a bright smile on his face who looked at him with equal admiration. 

“He looks happy, doesn’t he?”

“They do.” The taller man brought the blond male’s head closer to his chest with a small sigh. “I believe you should allow your heart to receive love too.”

He hummed nodding slightly against the older’s frame. “I think I will. Just a little more,”

Soobin wondered if he could also hear the rampant beating of his heart. “I will wait for an eternity if that’s what it takes.”

Taehyun chuckled and continued to look at the images illuminated by their lunar-bridge.

He may not remember him like a forgotten dream. He didn’t care as long as he found his place, his home in the confines of the hearts of the people around him. 

He could rest assured nothing bad would befall him. That was all he needed.

Perhaps, that was love— sacrifices made to see the one who owns your heart, safe and sound. Happiness assured for them even when you are far away.

**Author's Note:**

> It's been such a joy yet at the same time stressful for me to write this. There were so many things that happened in the midst of the development of Unroyal. I never expected I would reach the end, but I finally did it!
> 
> special thanks to my close friends (isma, aria, magi, jaz, fel, faith, mila) on twt for constantly sending me motivation and love about my writing and to never let me falter. This fic wouldn't have seen the light of the day if it weren't for them so thank you so much! ♡
> 
> Comments and kudos are deeply appreciates since they keep me going ( ●ω●)♡
> 
> follow me on twt @ [ggukslaugh](https://twitter.com/ggukslaugh) and send ur opinions on cc @ [mabuchigyuu](https://curiouscat.qa/mabuchigyuu)


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